Samurai horsemen show off skills in traditional Fukushima festival

Samurai horsemen take part in the kaeri-uma (returning horse) procession for the first time in seven years to the welcome of many residents in the Fukushima Prefecture city of Minamisoma on July 30, 2017. (Mainichi)

MINAMISOMA, Fukushima -- Horsemen clad in samurai armor showed off their skills in the traditional Soma Nomaoi festival held in the Soma district of Fukushima Prefecture on July 30.

Events were staged in various areas including the Hibarigahara festival field in the city of Minamisoma. In the Odaka district, where evacuation orders implemented in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster were lifted in July 2016, samurai horsemen returning from the Kacchu Keiba race and Shinki Sodatsusen flag battle performed the kaeri-uma (returning horse) ritual for the first time in seven years.

In the ritual, a total of 65 horsemen wearing samurai armor paraded through the district, to the warm welcome of residents who cheered, "Welcome back" and "Good work."